Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
LITIGANTS in Manicaland can now file and track court cases directly from their mobile phones following the launch of the Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS) in the province on Monday.
Speaking during the launch of Phase 4.3 of the IECMS for Manicaland and Mashonaland East provinces at the Mutare Magistrates’ Court, Judicial Service Commission (JSC) secretary, Mr Walter Chikwana said the rollout to magistrates’ courts is breaking long-standing barriers that have made access to justice difficult for ordinary citizens.
Mr Chikwana noted that Manicaland is now part of a nationwide transformation reshaping how courts operate, as Zimbabwe accelerates the digitisation of its justice delivery system.
He said magistrates’ courts, which handle the bulk of cases in the country, are where the biggest impact of digitisation will be felt, particularly in areas like Chimanimani, Makoni, Chipinge, Mutasa, Buhera and Nyanga where many litigants travel long distances to access justice.
“The superior courts have already benefited from digitisation, but the real transformation is happening at magistrates’ courts because these are the courts used by ordinary people from townships, growth points and rural communities, including here in Manicaland,” he said.
Mr Chikwana said the new system will significantly reduce delays and costs associated with court processes, especially for litigants who previously had to travel repeatedly to Mutare to file or follow up on cases.
“We are hopeful that by digitising the court processes, people in Manicaland will be able to access justice much more easily than before. Challenges linked to distance, paperwork and delays will gradually be reduced as the system becomes fully operational,” he said.
He said the IECMS rollout, which began in 2022 with superior courts such as the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court and Labour Court, has now reached magistrates’ courts on a province-by-province basis.
Manicaland and Mashonaland East are among the latest provinces to be integrated into the system.
Mr Chikwana said the digitisation programme has already delivered measurable improvements in efficiency, particularly in the handling of appeals and preparation of court records.
He said the courts are rapidly overcoming longstanding case backlogs, with appeals that once took up to two years to be heard now being finalised within months following the nationwide rollout of IECMS.
Mr Chikwana said the impact of the system is already evident in the superior courts where delays that had frustrated litigants for years are being significantly reduced.
“This is transforming justice delivery by speeding up the handling of cases, improving efficiency and widening access to the courts. The greatest benefit of the IECMS has been improved efficiency. In the past, an appeal filed in the Supreme Court could take between 12 months and two years before it was heard. Today, the same appeal can be set down and heard within three to four months,” he said.
He said the dramatic reduction in waiting periods is largely a result of faster preparation of court records and the elimination of cumbersome manual processes.
“Court records, which previously took months to prepare, can now be produced within days, helping to clear backlogs across the system.
“The preparation of records used to take between three and six months. Now, in many instances, records are ready within a day or two, allowing cases to move through the system much faster,” he said.
Mr Chikwana said the digitisation of magistrates’ courts in Manicaland is also changing the way court proceedings are conducted, with magistrates now using laptops instead of handwritten notes, while proceedings are digitally recorded and transcribed.
“The system uses artificial intelligence to record proceedings and convert them into written transcripts within a very short space of time. This has significantly improved efficiency and accuracy in case management. Time is not going to be wasted on writing court proceedings,” he said.
He added that the Judiciary is strengthening cybersecurity systems to protect sensitive court data as reliance on digital platforms increases.
“The system has strong built-in security features, and we are also deploying cybersecurity specialists to ensure that court data is protected from manipulation and abuse,” he said.
The Judicial Service Commission has already completed rollout in several provinces, and plans to extend the system to Midlands and Mashonaland West before moving to the last two provinces, Harare and Bulawayo, which Mr Chikwana described as the country’s busiest jurisdictions.
He said the completion of the nationwide programme will usher in a faster, more efficient and more accessible justice system, particularly for communities that have historically faced delays due to distance, cost and paper-based processes.
Also in an interview, Chief Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza said the introduction of the system in provinces such as Manicaland marked a major milestone in modernising justice delivery and improving access for ordinary citizens.
She said the digitisation programme is particularly important for rural communities that often struggle with distance and cost barriers when accessing courts.
“Magistrates’ courts serve the majority of our people, including many in rural Manicaland. Some litigants travel long distances just to file documents or follow up on cases. Through e-filing, many of these challenges are being addressed,” she said.
She said litigants will now increasingly be able to access court services using mobile phones, tablets and computers.
“Justice must evolve with technology. This system brings our courts into the digital age and ensures that people in provinces like Manicaland are not left behind in accessing timely justice,” she said.
